New German car sales up 3.5 percent in August - source

Volkswagen cars are lined up for sale at a car shop in Bad Honnef near Bonn, Germany, November 4, 2015. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

HAMBURG (Reuters) - Sales of new passenger cars in Germany rose 3.5 percent in August to around 253,500 vehicles, an industry source told Reuters on Monday.

Eight-month passenger car registrations in Europe’s largest auto market were up 2.9 percent at 2.3 million vehicles, the source said on condition he not be identified because official sales data has not yet been published.

Germany’s VDA auto industry association is expected to disclose official figures later on Monday.